A woman-owned exercise studio focused on muscle conditioning courses designed for women is open on Ocean Avenue.
ROAR opened in Ingleside in August and welcomes anyone of any fitness level to join. With the slogan “where women rise,” the company wants attendees to leave feeling empowered and supported.
Michelle Kunkel and Meghan Basmajian opened ROAR’s first location on Noe Valley’s stretch of Castro Street in October 2024. The gym satisfies a need to make training fun.
“We were like, how can we take what we have enjoyed from other places and kind of shift it so it's just catered to women's physiology,” Basmajian said. “We came up with this concept. We initially went in with the mindset of it being personal training, but we were like, it's so fun when you get to do something with someone else.”
ROAR's new Ocean Avenue location. | Anne Marie Kristoff/Ingleside Light
The duo first met at the gym chain Barry’s, where Kunkel was the general manager and Basmajian was the assistant general manager. Though they enjoyed their time at Barry’s, they felt the fast-paced and high-intensity sessions were not always suitable for women. So they set out to create a gym of their own, specializing in slower-paced classes that cater to female physiology and busy schedules.
The gym’s name was inspired by Ashley Longshore’s “Roar!: A Collection of Mighty Women,” which is displayed at both locations. While both gyms will have a similar setup with a locker room, dumbbells and kettle bells, aerobic steps and books and pillows from women-owned brands, the Inglesside gym will also be themed with vintage photos of women weight lifting on the beach.
“We tried to make it a little bit more in line with the neighborhood,” Basmajian said. “Our goal with each place is to have it have its own community that feels specific to them.”
The company’s eight trainers host 45-minute group or private classes seven days a week and alternate between both locations.
The trainers designed to gym to cater to womens' bodies and schedules. | Anne Marie Kristoff/Ingleside LightThe interior of ROAR's Ocean Avenue location features retro photos of women working out. | Anne Marie Kristoff/Ingleside Light
Their membership tiers start at $259 for eight classes per month, $365 for 12 classes per month and $435 for 16 classes per month. They also offer non-membership packages like a first timer three-class package for $75, a single class for $38 and five to 20 classes for $185 to $700. Private training is offered for $130 for a single session, $500 for four sessions and $1,200 for 10 sessions.
Each week has a different workout theme, ranging from heavy weights to different body parts.
“It's honestly been really inspiring to see the women who come in,” said Martina Lasich, who signed on as a trainer in January. “I feel like there has been this community that's formed.”
While the studio is marketed toward women of any age, even occasionally hosting a clinic for girls aged 12 to 18, men are also welcome.
“It can be intimidating regardless of the fitness environment you're stepping into,” Basmajian said. “If you come here and you find that it's not for you, it's not for you. But at the end of the day, we just want to be able to support people in whatever phase they're in.”
Anne Marie Kristoff (she/her) is a recent graduate from San Francisco State University's journalism program. She enjoys writing about the arts, entertainment and nature.
